Childhood Versus Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye Essay

Childhood vs. Adulthood

Holden Caulfield is in some ways still a child, yet a lot of his actions are adult based. He is indecisive between the two worlds of childhood and adulthood. The two worlds are extremely different and Holden can't seem to get both his feet in adulthood. He is immature but some of actions are adult themed. Holden is told by many people that he needs to grow up but nothing gets through to him. Holden has a difficult time letting go of his immaturity and growing up to become an adult. Holden rejects many people and is rejected by others, and is considered an outcast because of his immature actions and thoughts.

Holden participates in very adult like things, such as underage drinking, using profanity, prostitution, and sex. Holden is only 17 years old yet he arranges to get a prostitute and hangs out at bars. When he drinks he drunk dials for dates but doesn't go through with them. Holden doesn't live with his parents and makes all of his own decisions which shows how he's partly an adult. Holden tries to interact with people as an adult sometimes but also regresses back into acting like a child.

Holden tries to resist becoming an adult because he says adulthood is superficial and "phony", but this is really just Holden's loneliness and alienation because he hasn't matured all the way. He rejects the adult world because he thinks it is the worst thing possible to grow up. Holden's immaturity is clear when he gets kicked out of Pencey Prep for failing at everything. Holden never takes responsibility for his own actions and lies about whatever he feels like. He tells elaborate stories about a classmate to his mother and is extremely judgmental and bitter about everything. Holden was immature to tell a prostitute to come to his room when he knew he wasn't going to go through with it.

Holden had a very difficult transition from childhood to adulthood, he delayed growing up for as long as possible. At the end he matured and realized that growing up isn't the worst thing possible that could happen to him and he decides that he wants to go back to Pencey Prep and take his school work seriously and try harder. Holden realizes that he has to get both of his feet into adulthood and change for the better. The differences between the two worlds of childhood and adulthood are obvious to Holden at the end of the story because he realizes that being an adult means becoming mature and taking responsibility for yourself. Holden is not stuck between adolescense and adulthood anymore, he has both feet in adulthood.